Nettle tagliatelle with lamb ragu

Featured in Delicious Magazine

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
You will need a pasta machine.
70g nettles (see Shopping list, p 58),
or baby spinach leaves,
blanched, drained
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups (300g) plain flour
Lamb ragu (recipe follows)

PASTA

Whiz the nettle and egg in a small food processor until smooth. Place the flour in a mound on a clean work surface and make a well in the centre. Pour in the nettle mixture and, using your hands, incorporate the flour and form into a soft dough. Knead for 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Enclose in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into 3, then enclose 2 portions in plastic wrap and set aside. Start on the thickest setting of your pasta machine. Run dough through 2-3 times, folding it in half each time, until elastic. Keep rolling the dough through settings, reducing the thickness each time, until 2mm thick. Place pasta on a flour-dusted tray and cover with a tea towel while you roll remaining pieces.

Dust each piece of pasta with flour, then gently roll into a coil. Using a sharp knife, slice each pasta coil into 1cm-thick ribbons. Loosen ribbons by gently tossing with your hands, then lightly dust in flour.
Cook the fettuccine in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for 2 minutes or until al dente. Drain, then toss with the lamb ragu. Alternatively, cover fettuccine with a clean tea towel and set aside until ready to cook.

LAMB RAGU

Serves 4-6
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
400g lamb bones, cut into 4cm pieces*
(see Shopping list, p 58)
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 each small onion, celery stalk
and carrot, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/3 bunch each rosemary, thyme and sage 100ml white wine
1 tbs tomato paste
400g boneless lamb shoulder,
cut into 1cm pieces
1 quantity cooked nettle fettuccine or
400g regular store-bought fettuccine 1/2 cup (40g) finely grated parmesan

Heat 1 tbs oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add bones and cook for 8-10 minutes until golden. Remove and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium and add garlic, onion, celery and carrot. Cook, stirring, for 8 minutes or until softened. Increase heat to medium-high. Return bones to pan with bay, herbs and wine. Cook, scraping bottom of pan with a spoon, for 2 minutes or until reduced. Stir through tomato paste, then cover with 1.5L (6 cups) water or enough water to cover bones. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes or until reduced by half. Remove from heat and strain, discarding solids. Set aside.

Heat remaining 1 tbs oil in a deep frypan over medium-high heat. Season the lamb and cook, turning, for 8-10 minutes until browned. Reduce heat to medium-low and add stock. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour or until tender and reduced. Add cooked fettuccine to pan, season, then toss to warm through.

Divide among plates and top with parmesan to serve.